free movement of capital and labour, goods and services, and of the residents of the Member States, improve economic management and performance through regional co operation, and to create appropriate institutions and mechanisms for the implementation of programmes and operations in the Region; CONVINCED of the need to accelerate growth, investment and employment in the SADC Region through increased cooperation, coordination and management of macroeconomic, monetary and fiscal policies and to establish and sustain macroeconomic stability as a precondition to sustainable economic growth and for the creation of a monetary union in the Region; RECOGNISING the increasing importance of the development and strengthening of financial and capital markets, and the role played by investment and the private sector in productive capacity and increased economic growth and sustainable development; RECOGNISING the importance of the link between investment and trade, and the need for greater regional cooperation to enhance the attractiveness of the Region as an investment destination; MINDFUL of the different levels of economic development of Member States and of the need to share equitably in the benefits of regional integration; HEREBY AGREE as follows: CHAPTER ONE DEFINITIONS AND OBJECTIVES ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS 1. In this Protocol, terms and expressions defined in Article 1 of the Treaty shall bear the same meaning unless the context otherwise requires. 2. In this Protocol, unless the context otherwise requires: "Annex'' means an Annex to this Protocol; "SIS" means the Settlements; 14 Bank for International